asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will outline the progress made to date in providing dental treatment for spouses of insured persons; the reason it has not been provided for all spouses of insured persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Dental Treatment Eligibility.
14.
On 19 October 1987, I made regulations extending the benefits of the social insurance treatment benefits scheme to the dependent spouses of qualified insured persons. The newly qualified dependent spouses include the spouses of PAYE workers, of the unemployed who were insured, of disability benefit recipients and of invalidity, retirement and old age contributory pensioners. The extension is primarily intended to provide the benefits of the scheme to wives working in the home. Those qualified are eligible for dental and optical benefits and for benefit towards the cost of hearing aids.
To date approximately 24,500 claims for benefit under the treatment benefit scheme have been received in respect of dependent spouses. The extension to the scheme as far as optical benefit and hearing aids are concerned is in full operation and is obviously very successful.
The number of dentists who are operating the extension has been steadily growing and now stands at 150. There are approximately 630 dentists active on the panel at present. The balance of the dentists have not as yet agreed to provide dental treatment to dependent spouses under the extended scheme.
I am aware of the inconvenience caused by the present situation to some dependent spouses who may have to travel a distance to a participating dentist. In order to assist them in obtaining benefit, I arranged some time ago that they will be supplied with the names of their nearest participating dentist if they contact their local social welfare office or telephone the Department. This arrangement has been operating well.
As the Deputy may know the IDA have not supported the extension of the scheme to dependent spouses. I met the Irish Dental Association twice in 1987 and explained the Government decision to extend the scheme. When we last met, on 30 November 1987, we agreed to set up a joint working group, comprising representatives of the Department of Social Welfare and of the Irish Dental Association, to examine all aspects of the social insurance dental benefit scheme within the budgetary constraints and having regard to the Government's decision. The working group is to report to me by 30 May 1988.
In view of the fact that such a large number of people have applied in such a short time, does the Minister agree that this is an indication that people were waiting for treatment which they did not have carried out previously because they could not afford to pay? Will he take steps to ensure that those who are entitled to this benefit will receive it, if necessary by making appointments in areas where dentists are not carrying out the scheme? Does the Minister agree that the dental health scheme operated by the health boards is practically non-existent? No provision is being made to treat young children or adults, except perhaps some of those in institutional care.
That is a question for the Minister for Health and I doubt that he would agree with the Deputy's statement. In relation to the other supplementaries, I agree that the evidence of claims and the nature of the treatment requested clearly indicates that the demand for extractions, fillings, gum treatment and dentures is at least twice the demand from insured workers. This indicates that the spouses in question needed a good deal of dental work carried out which had not previously been attended to. Regarding the provision of the service generally, I am anxious to take any measures I can to ensure that it is available as widely as possible.
I must now turn to questions nominated for priority.
Could the Minister indicate the spread of the 150 dentists who have opted into the scheme?
I am sorry, Deputy De Rossa. There are five questions nominated for priority and I need all the time at my disposal to deal with them.
It is pretty wide.